Manufacturing Engineer - Product & Planning

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

Due to an exciting period of growth, we are now seeking experienced Manufacturing Engineers to join our thriving Product & Planning Team.

Based at our East Cowes site and reporting into the Manufacturing Engineering Manager, the Manufacturing Engineer will be working across both our Civil and Defence Business lines, providing engineering proficiency to operational and development programmes to enable and deliver zero defect projects, utilising engineering and problem-solving skills. You will be accountable for delivering robust, proficient manufacturing process technology as it applies to materials, tooling, part fabrication and assembly.

The successful candidate will need to be flexible for limited ad-hoc travel, nationally and internationally, and will be joining an Engineering department typically between 6-10 Manufacturing Engineers.

Relocation assistance available for successful candidates currently living on the UK Mainland

Job Responsibilities

Typical job responsibilities will include:

• Exemplifying a safety-first mind-set and ensuring compliance with the GKN Aerospace Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards;
• Responsible for the development of manufacturing process solutions to complex problems through;
• Accountable for the implementation of production planning, from original concept through to production, designing these processes to a high level of process capability through utilizing the GKN standard Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) tool suite;
• Accountable for product development, first article development, configuration changes, build process definition and implementation;
• The development of technical solutions to complex problems within GKN Aerospace, our customers and suppliers;
• Delivering technical support of manufacturing process development and integration for production;
• Utilising root cause analysis, preventative and corrective action to reduce/eliminate non-conformances;
• Maintaining positive team relationships with internal and external customers, as well as co-workers;
• Continuously improving production processes by implementing Lean initiatives;
• Awareness and application of APQP tools (set of tools used for problem solving)

Job Qualifications

Suitable candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential:

• Minimum HNC qualification (or equivalent) within an Engineering related subject, OR an ONC-level engineering qualification supplemented by suitable amount of workplace experience
• Demonstrable previous experience in a Manufacturing Engineering role, gained within a composites-based manufacturing environment
• Composite Experience (hand-lay, prepreg processes) and/or Assembly Experience (typical large aerostructures)
• Previous experience of working within the Aerospace (or similar) manufacturing
• Typical ME skills (generation of work instructions, problem solving, change management etc.)

Desirable:

• Working knowledge of quality system models such as ISO9000, AS9100, or D1-9000
• Experience of Project / Programme Management
• Familiarity with AS9145 APQP process or equivalent
• Understanding and use of an ERP system
• Green Belt Certified

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.

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